Author: TechCommittee

March 10, 2019                                                                               Text:  Psalm 91:1-13

Dear Friends in Christ,

            In 2012, Jamie Coots, a “snake-handling” Pastor in Kentucky, died of you – you guessed it – a snakebite!  Coots was the star of a National Geographic TV reality show called Snake Salvation.  He believed he had a special anointing from God that protected him from any harm from the snakes that he handled.  Why not?  Doesn’t God promise that in today’s psalm?  In verse 13, “You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.”  Isn’t God telling us in this psalm that He is our refuge and fortress?  Yes, but that doesn’t mean we become reckless.  In fact, I just saw this week a man who was mauled to death by a lion he kept as a pet.  

            Were the snake-handler and lion pet owner showing faith or were they testing the unpredictability of animals?  Did this Pastor misunderstand the promise of God?  Psalm 91 is not an invitation to “test” the Lord by seeking out danger at every opportunity.  Satan uses the words of this Psalm to test Jesus in our Gospel.  He is using them for evil as he foolishly tried to ensnare Jesus.  That is his game plan for you and I too.  We need the Word of God as he attacks us. 

“THE LORD . . . IS MY REFUGE”

            Yes, the Lord indeed promises protection in the midst of dangers.  He promises us that nothing can separate us from his love in Christ Jesus.  But nowhere in these verses do we find an invitation to put him to the test.  Jesus outsmarted Satan with a right understanding of Scripture:  “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” (Luke 4:12)

            Examine yourself.  In what ways have you tested God with your reckless behavior, rather than trusting him with a confident faith?  Let’s use our winter weather as an example.  Did you get out on the roads when it was not safe to do so?  Yes, you trusted the Lord for safe travel, but was it the smart thing to do?  Experience has taught me to stay home, the exception being Sunday mornings.  Where else do we test God?  Our behaviors can be reckless figuring we have forgiveness.  Why not spout off or not listen to our parents or twist God’s Word to fit our lifestyle.  Faith doesn’t work that way.  There would be no reason for Christ and Christianity if we all just lived the way we wanted.  Satan would be the victor and we would have no hope.

            Repent.  Recognize the satanic ploys that so easily ensnare you.  Confess your sins of weakness.  Admit defeat.  But don’t walk away defeated.

            We don’t always walk away the victor.  We suffer defeats in life but we are not defeated.  In baptism we were baptized into the death and resurrection of our Lord.  We share in his victory no matter how many times our sinful behavior has ensnared us.  Living in daily repentance and faith, we can enjoy the refuge of his victory as we receive his gifts of Word and Sacrament.

            Satan and the words of this psalm tempted the Son of God for real.  But Jesus took refuge in the promise of His Heavenly Father.  He held fast to God’s promise and did not fall prey to the roaring lion and slithering snake.

            But that wasn’t the ultimate victory.  The devil left Jesus “until an opportune time.” (Lk. 4:13b)  Wasn’t the most opportune time when your Savior hung on the pinnacle of the cross?  Remember the shouting, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” (Lk. 23:37)  Oh, that would have been so easy to do.  Why die for these knuckleheads who are shouting at me?  Why die for us who make Satan-inspired decisions in our life?  Thankfully, the Savior knew He wasn’t there for himself.  He was on that cross to save you.  To save you from bad winter weather decisions.  To save you from opening your mouth when you shouldn’t have.  To save you from not listening to the God-ordained authorities who are there to guide and love you.  To save you from forming an opinion not based on the words of Jesus you have learned your whole life but on a friend or a show or some knucklehead at an awards show.  The Lord knows Satan’s tricks.  He understands the deception.  He trusted, even then on the cross, even giving up the shelter of his Heavenly Father, so that you would dwell in the shelter of the Most High forever.

            Enter this season of Lent with confidence, dear Christian, the confidence of a God who grants you refuge in the victory of His Son.  Isn’t it fitting to begin the Sundays in Lent with this glorious psalm?  The psalms are prayers.  Pray them as God’s people have always prayed them.  Pray them with confidence that through the work of Jesus you have a refuge and a fortress and a shelter.  You live in Christ’s victory.  Call upon Him in temptation and daily defeats.  His salvation is your salvation.  The refuge we all need.

                                                            Amen.    

March 3, 2019 – Transfiguration                                     Text:  Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Dear Friends in Christ,

            There is some thought that near the moment of your death your entire life will flash before your eyes.  We don’t have much to back this up, obviously, but what if this happened to Moses?

            He floats in the Nile River.  Pharaoh’s daughter rescues him.  He lives as a prince in Egypt.  He murders a man and goes into hiding.  For forty years, he is in the wilderness.  He marries and starts a family.  At age 80 he sees a burning bush and the Lord tells Moses he is going to lead his people, the Israelites.

            He utters the famous line to the Egyptian Pharaoh, “Let my people go.”  He watches the ten plagues and the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart.  He oversees the instructions for the Passover and he leads 2 million Israelites through the Red Sea with the Egyptian army drowning behind them.  This fascinating life is only getting started.

            The Lord speaks on a mountain in a cloud and a fire and gives to Moses the Ten Commandments.  He brings God’s written Word down to the people.

            We have the golden calf and Moses restraining the wrath of God.  The construction of the tabernacle, the anointing of Aaron and his sons to serve as priests and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

            He sent spies into the Promised Land.  The people listened to those filled with fear so the Lord gave them forty years of wandering in the wilderness.  Forty years of people whining.  Forty years of people complaining to Moses.  Forty years of protection and food and water.  Forty years for Moses to write Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  There were also forty years of funerals.  None of the men who came out of Egypt would make it to the Promised Land, only their children.  Now we come to the end, the edge of the Jordan River, only one left to die – Moses at 120 years of age but “his eye was undimmed and his vigor unabated.” (v. 7)

            Other than Jesus and King David, we know more about Moses than any other person in Scripture.  His life was stunning.  They should make movies about him!  He is a picture of Law and Gospel.  He stands on the precipice of the Promised Land but realizes that . . .

“THE BEST IS YET TO COME”

            Don’t we all at times do what we just did with Moses – look back over our life.  We are probably not going to make 120 or lead 2 million people or be given God’s Law but as we contemplate our past don’t we see what Moses sees – the Lord’s Blessings.  In our wanderings, don’t we see His leading?  In our complaining, don’t we see His providing?  In our times of need, doesn’t the Lord speak to us?  When we ponder the past, live the present and face the future, do we agree with Moses, the best is yet to come?

            Look at Moses.  120 and full of life, standing on Mount Nebo across the Jordan.  The Lord puts before him the land of promise – because Moses is a Christian and because the Lord intends for Moses to die as he lived, with faith and hope.

            Moses is not looking behind, he is looking ahead.  He looks across and sees the mountains of Judah.  There is Bethlehem where Jesus is born.  Flowing below him is the Jordan River where Jesus will be baptized.  There is the wilderness of Judea where the devil will tempt Jesus for forty days and nights.  To the north is Galilee where Jesus will teach, preach, call his disciples.  Further north is the mountain where Moses will stand with Jesus and Elijah and the disciples and he will finally be in the Promised Land. 

            There in the hills directly in front of Moses is Jerusalem.  Jesus will suffer and die here.  He will be lifted on a cross, taking God’s wrath in our place, in Moses’ place, in the place of all sinners.  There, too, is the grave that will be empty.  Look the Mount of Olives where Jesus will ascend to the Father to rule and reign for all eternity.  Yes, Moses, the best is yet to come.  Jesus will return and there will be the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting for those who believe.

            Moses doesn’t relish in his past, the victory over Pharaoh, the dry land miracle, the glory of the mountain, being the leader of so many for so long.  As Moses dies he is looking to the promises God has set before him.

            Is the best yet to come?  The Lord drew us out of the waters of Holy Baptism.  He rescued us with the blood of His Son.  He is with us in joys and sorrows according to his kindness and mercy.  When we come to the end, He points us to his unwavering promises.  We look to Jesus who was crucified and raised for us and who will return to take us to be where He is in heaven.

            As you stand on the mountain today and see what is in front of you – the best is yet to come.  The resurrection of the body and life everlasting await.  The Lord’s promises will carry us forward.  Hello Moses.  Hello Abraham.  Hello St. Paul.  Hello loved ones.  Then we see Jesus at last…face-to-face.

                                                                                                Amen.